Jon Walker: I've read that you are very interested in Video production. Can you give us some insight into your video work and how you became
turned onto it?
Gavin Hardkiss: My music is very visual and I would like to develop the visual
side of the project more. I have a few music videos for the new
material. The video for "Flower Girl" is very silly and childish and you
can see it at www.myspace.com/hawke. MTV used to play the video for
Vivos En La Muerte, which was super cool. There's also a new video for
Let It Go.
JW: In what ways, if any, has the Internet performed a pivotal
role in the Marketing and logistics of your DJ and production careers?
Gavin Hardkiss: I do a lot of collaboration through the Internet. I always have.
I'll meet people on line and feed them tracks and see what kind of remix
skills they have. The Flower Girl video was a project that was shot in
San Francisco and edited in Barcelona. I coordinated everything online.
I wasn't even at the shoot. I have confidence in my collaborators and I
like to just leave them to do their thing. I met Adam Warped on myspace
and he did an amazing remix of Flower Girl which will be on vinyl later
this summer.
JW: All across the world, it seems as if things have migrated from
the warehouse into the nightclub. What are your thoughts on this as a DJ
and what have you noticed about the audiences?
Gavin Hardkiss: I've noticed something different. No one leaves their house.
There are pockets of cool warehouse parties and always-cool clubs in the
big cities, but many kids have decks and bitchen entertainment systems
at home. Get some friends together and throw down in the comfort of your home.
That's America for you. Home entertainment!!
JW: Can you give me some insight into your bands HAWKE guise?
Gavin Hardkiss: My name, Gavin, means White Hawk. That's who I am!! I began using
the name when I released my first record '3 nudes in a purple garden' in
1993. And I've continued to use it since for most of my production work.
The band consists of different collaborators and musicians. Its line-up
is constantly evolving and changing. The only constant is "me."
Currently, the live Hawke show that we're doing in Southern California
is a mash up of tracks from the new album LOVE WON ANOTHER mashed up
with Led Zeppelin, The Happy Mondays and Culture Club backed up with a
flamenco guitar duo.
JW: Can you give us a brief contrast between the studio and live
personalities of HAWKE vs. a more dancefloor-oriented DJ Gavin Hardkiss.
Gavin Hardkiss: We aim to confuse!! Hawke is all about a personal depth of
emotion. It's a listening adventure. I want people to feel it and relate
to my music on a deep personal level. But out at the clubs, all I want
to do is show people a good time and make 'em dance. The live Hawke show
bridges the gap a wee bit. When I DJ, it's about getting drunk and sexy
and dance, dance, dance. One day, I think I'll make a dance album!
JW: Your new album is entitle "Love Won Another" can you give us
some background on the album and describe what makes this album special.
Gavin Hardkiss:
1. Love is the answer and I want to spread the news.
2. I sing a lot and it sounds good.
3. My 3-year-old daughter can sing along too.
4. There are guitars on every song.
5. Besides me and my friends singing cool songs, I have monkeys, hawks,
lions and tigers in the mix.
6. I spent 2 years in a farmhouse surrounded by olive orchards,
vineyards, coyotes, deer, pheasants and hawks making special sounds for
you and me to enjoy.
JW: How long have you been writing and producing this album?
Gavin Hardkiss: Oh, 3 years. Its an unquestionably rich vintage if I say so myself.
As you can see, Gavin has been very hard at work over the past 15 years and has just released his 3rd Full Length entitled Love Won Another on Eighth Dimension Records.
